h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Frogbit,
Saw you online and thought I'd over here and say hello. Looks like we're still waiting for someone to recommend your Mendips piece, shame the whole process takes so long. I hope you're not giving up
What does your name mean by the way? Better be something innocent cos I've been using it as my work PC's password for the last month (well it had the right number of letters and I was having trouble with frogs getting into my house via the downstairs toilet and it just seemed kind of apt. OK?)
MC

Hi Metal Chicken. Apologies for the delay in replying, I didn't check all the way down there. Frogbit - innocent enough - it's the name of a plant that grows on the Somerset levels (amongst many other places), which is about 5 miles from us. It's considered a bit of a nuisance. That's not why I chose it - but hey, if the cap fits. . . .
Glad to hear about the frogs. Not that you are being invaded by them, but that there are still plenty about.
Just spent the week in Brighton - just outside actually. Dug out my parent's pond, which ended up being larger than I remembered. The new liner measured 13ft by 17ft. A bloody big hole. If you are ever down that way, bring a bag of frogs.
Frogbit.

Aha, that's a relief.

I don't mind the frogs that make their way inside but sometimes my visitors get taken by surprise when they hear a large frog frantically trying to escape from the toilet bowl

Sad to say I killed one last week while mowing the lawn But there still seem to be plenty left. If I'm ever down your way I'll try and bring some of the more adventurous ones. That digging sounds like hard work, the pond deserves some inhabitants.

Hi Chicken - just dropping by to say thanks for your continued interest in the Mendips piece - recieved an e-mail from the editors tonight saying it got through. So thanks again. I have a question from my partner - she wants to know how the frogs get into your lavatory. I embarked on a hypothesys which included soakaways and drains, but she kept staring at me until I was forced to admit that I didn't know. Go-on. Tell us.
Frogbit.

Congratulations on your Guide Acceptance. At last!!

How do the frogs get in? Well it's an old house with dodgy plumbing and a downstairs bathroom tagged on to make the place habitable. My little friends appear to leap into the drain outside, perhaps looking for somewhere dark and moist to hide and then *somehow* swim along until they surface inside. I don't want to look too closely at how everything fits together to make that possible. Does that satisfy your partner?

Yep sounds good enough for me. Apologies for taking so long in replying, and more apologies for turning up without an excuse. Been off work this week with dodgy tendons, so ha time to write this http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A626438
Have a look if you like, and let me know of any forthcoming material of yours.
PS, when do the frogs stop appearing (I mean what time of year)?

That's quite a pice of work you've been up to
I'll get back to you when I've had a proper read of it.

The frogs play with my plumbing most frequently during Autumn but they drop by occasionally at other times of the year. Only last night I had to fish out the first visitor I've seen for months

So you have a frogfest on the menu. . .let me know how it goes. I think the eels are heading out to the Sargasso soon, so don't go walking in wet fields after dark with no shoes on (unless, of course, you like that sort of thing).

Hallooo?

Hello, I've not forgotten you
RL took precedence for a while that's all.
Seems like you were right re the approaching frogfest. I have today evicted the 3rd would be tenant in the last week. And one of those surprised a visiting friend (made me giggle though).

Right then, had a good read of your Glastonbury opus. Very comprehensive and full of interesting facts. I certainly can't think of anything else you need to add. A couple of misplaced apostrophes in possessive "it's" (first sentence of The Name) if I'm to be pernickety. Looks like the Peer Review process gave you some good hints and tips, reads well and the footnotes are helpful. For my taste, you've still got a couple of lengthy paragraphs but maybe that's just me being lazy.
The sub-ed will probably look out a few other internal links, for example I've vague memories of something about the festival but can't remember if that was a)Glastonbury or b)Edited anyway.

MC

Cheers MC. Hopre RL was pleasurable. Good news about the frog numbers. There is an organisation somewhaere that looks after excessive frog numbers. . .give me and minute and I'll track them down. I think it's the pondlife project or something. I'll get back to you. And thanks for your kind comments.
Frogbit.

Oh RL has been very pleasurable of late

Back to the frogs - today's visitor was so tiny, it can't have been long out of tadpolehood. Maybe I should reconsider their arrival strategy as I'm sure this one would have been crushed if he'd taken the drain jumping route I've been assuming. I'll have a look for that pondlife thing, although I am quite happy to have lots of frogs to gorge themselves on the slugs.

RL very pleasurable of late? The L would be Lurve, would it? Glad to hear you're having a nice time. Tiny little frogs, eh? My favourite. Some of them look like jewels. And those golden eyes! (Goes off for a lie-down.
Frogbit.

I wouldn't like to comment on what the pleasurable L might stand for... Just lets say that life appears to be going well for once and leave it at that shall we.
I never realised you were so poetically inspired by small damp amphibians. In that case I look forward to your next articles with great interest.
Difficult to decide what to write about next. I've been concentrating on a Peak District theme but I'm running out of ideas. Maybe Bakewell of the puddings would make a good entry.

Hi MC. Glad things are going well. Viewed a house this morning and nearly took it on the spot because the garden had a pond with frogs and newts in it. Yes, I am poetically inspired by small damp amphibians. I think it's a design thing. They're just so *neat*.
I too am having trouble coming up with a subject for my next piece. Perhaps we can co-author something on frogs and bogs. I'm thinking maybe something about the Somerset levels. I covered them briefly in the Glastonbury Town piece, but they deserve an entry all of their own. I've just inspired myself, expect something soon, and let me know when you've got something new out.

Hi MC. I take it that your continued absence means that RL is going RL (Really Well). The wot no mendips sunject header is no longer relelvant - it got on the front page!

RL (Really Well)? How the hell did I come up with that one ?

Well I suppose there was an R at the start of the first word and an L somewhere in the second so it sort of counts. Yes RL continues on its upwards curve, the weekend was spent at the Alton Towers meet-up of which I have no doubt there will be words and pictures later.
Congrats on your front page appearance
So did you decide on the house with the pond?
MC

Yes, I went for the pond

So hours of endless fun ahead with your new amphibian friends.

Today's frog here was hiding underneath the toilet seat when I got back from the weekend away - and made his presence felt by suddenly leaping into the water when he became aware he was no longer alone in the room. I hope yours turn out to be better behaved.